Tethered flying toy

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to a flying toy which permits realistic control of a toy airplane, doll or the like wherein the toy is suspended from a sleeve or bearing through which pass a pair of filaments which are fixed together on a wall or the like at one end and are hand held at their other end. By moving apart the filaments and holding the filaments at a level below that at which they are attached to the wall, the toy can be made to travel uphill along the filaments. The forward nose of the toy may weighted whereby, upon the cessation of upward movement, the nose turns around due to the weight therein for subsequent downward travel along the filaments as they are again brought together. A second feature of the disclosure is the use of plastic monofilaments which display low friction and allow operation using a sleeve, tube or wire loop and makes the use of rollers or pulleys unnecessary.

United States Patent 191 Wolf et al.

[ TETHERED FLYING TOY [75] Inventors: Tobin Wolf, 285 Aycrigg Ave,

Passaic, NJ. 07055; Ned M. Cain, West Patterson, NJ.

[73] Assignee: said Tabin Wolf by said Ned Cain [22] Filed: Dec. 3, 1973[2]] Appl. No.: 421,333

[52] US. Cl. 46/1 R; 46/77 [51] Int. Cl. A63]! 33/00; A63H 27/04 [58]Field of Search 46/] R, 77; 272/57 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 3,743,280 7/l973 Martinez 272/57 R Primary Examiner-Louis G.Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney, Agent, orFirm.lay M. Cantor [451 July 8,1975

[5 7 ABSTRACT The disclosure relates to a flying toy which permitsrealistic control of a toy airplane, doll or the like wherein the toy issuspended from a sleeve or bearing through which pass a pair offilaments which are fixed together on a wall or the like at one end andare hand held at their other end. By moving apart the filaments andholding the filaments at a level below that at which they are attachedto the wall, the toy can be made to travel uphill along the filaments.The forward nose of the toy may weighted whereby, upon the cessation ofupward movement, the nose turns around due to the weight therein forsubsequent downward travel along the filaments as they are again broughttogether.

A second feature of the disclosure is the use of plastic monofilamentswhich display low friction and allow operation using a sleeve, tube orwire loop and makes the use of rollers or pulleys unnecessary.

12 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures TETI-IERED FLYING TOY This inventionrelates to a flying toy capable of simple and realistic control and,more specifically, to a flying toy capable of upward movement by meansof a pair of monofilaments, the toy, if desired, also being capable ofautomatic rotation of 180 when upward movement thereof substantiallyceases.

The concept of providing a toy aircraft or the like having a pair ofstrings passing therethrough which strings are attached at one end to awall at a level higher than the position of the toy operator whereinseparation of the strings by the operator causes the top aircraft totravel uphill along the strings has been known in the prior art asexemplified by US. Pat. No. 1,676,989. Toy aircraft of this type lackrealism because they are capable of travelling up and down the stringsin only one direction, that is, the nose of the aircraft is alwaysfacing upward or downward. Furthermore, the use of normal string or thelike does not provide good slippage, thereby requiring that the anglefor descent be large to prevent the aircraft from stopping due tofriction between the string and sleeve, or alternatively requiringrollers to overcome the above noted prior art problem.

Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, the above notedproblems of the prior art are overcome and there is provided a flyingtoy which is capable of realistic control in both the ascending anddescending states. This is accomplished by utilizing monofilamentstrings passing through the sleeve which substantially diminish frictionbetween strings and bearing. In addition, a weight can be positioned inthe forward nose of the flying toy, the toy being capable of rotating180 with respect to the sleeve whereby, when the forward velocity of thetoy is sufficiently diminished, the turning movement due to the weightin the toy nose causes the toy to rotate by 180 whereby the toy can nowdescent in a forward position. If desired, a rudder-type device can beused to aid in prevention of rotation during toy movement, though thisis not essential.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a flying toywhich permits realistic control.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an inexpensive andsimple flying toy capable of realistic control.

It is another object of this invention to provide a flying toy ridingalong a pair of plastic monofilament strings to obviate the requirementof pulleys or rollers.

The above objects and still further objects of the invention will becomeimmediately apparent to those skilled in the art after consideration ofthe following preferred embodiments thereof, which are provided by wayof example and not by way of limitation, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of elevation of a first embodiment of a flying toy inaccordance with the present invention in the ascending state;

FIG. 2 is a view as in FIG. 1 but in the descending state;

FIG. 3 is a view as in FIG. 2 wherein the rate of descent is decreasedby moving the monofilament strings apart;

FIG. 4 is a view of FIG. 3 with the distance from wall to operatorshortened for landing;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the sleeve or bearing on the toy withmonofilament strings separated for toy ascent;

FIG. 6 is a view as in FIG. 5 with strings together for toy descent;

FIG. 7 is a view as in FIG. 6 with strings separated to decrease rate ofdescent;

FIG. 8 is a front view of the sleeve mechanism;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional side view of a toy aircraft according to thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional a portion of view of the aircraft of FIG.9;

FIG. I1 is a view as in FIG. I wherein the aircraft has been replaced bya doll; and

FIG. 12 is a view as in FIG. 2 wherein the aircraft has been replaced bya parachutist attempting to land in a target.

Referring now to FIG. I, there is shown an operator 1 holding a pair oftaut monofilament strings 3 and 5 in his hands, the strings passingthrough a sleeve 7 of a turning mechanism 9. The strings are attached toa wall 11 by means of a hook or the like 13, the hook being preferablypositioned above the head of the operator 1. It should be understoodthat a single string can be used in place of strings 3 and 5, the singlestring being secured at its midpoint to the hook 13. Handles l5 and 17are affixed to the strings 3 and 5 respectively for grasping by thehands of the operator 1. The aircraft 19 is secured to the turningmechanism 9, the aircraft and turning mechanism travelling up hill dueto separation of the strings 3 and 5. This is shown in greater detail inFIG. 5.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the aircraft is shown during descent with theaircraft having rotated for reasons as will be explained in detailhereinbelow. It can be seen that strings 3 and 5 have been broughttogether to allow the aircraft 19 to travel down hill due to gravity anddue to the reduced friction between strings and sleeve 7 due to the useof monofilament strings. This operation is shown in greater detail inFIG. 6.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown the same operation as in FIG. 2.However, the rate of descent of the aircraft 19 is controlled by slightseparation of the strings 3 and 5, the strings being allowed to convergeat a predetermined rate as determined by the operator. This operation isshown in greater detail in FIG. 7.

Referring now to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the strings 3 and 5 are nolonger taut as they were in the prior FIGURES. This is accomplished byhaving the operator I move forward. Forward movement of the operatorcombined with judicious operation of strings 3 and 5 will allow for aproper landing on the ground of aircraft 19.

Referring now to FIG. 8, the turning mechanism 9 is shown in detail. Themechanism 9 includes a sleeve or bearing portion 7 having a shaft 21secured thereto and to a stop 23 at its other end. The operation of theturning mechanism is described with respect to FIGS. 9 and 10. It can beseen that the turning mechanism 9 has the shaft 21 passing through thetop surface of the fuselage 25 of the aircraft 19, the stop 23 which isa flange on the shaft 21 being rotatable between ribs 27 and 29 on whichribs the stop abuts. This allows 180 movement to the stop andcorrespondingly to the shaft 21 and sleeve 7. A weight 31 is secured inthe nose or forward end of the aircraft 19 which is positioned to tendto turn the aircraft counterclockwise due to the force of gravity asshown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The turning force is purposely small so thatair currents against the tail section or rudder 33 during aircraftascent will counterbalance the turning force from the weight 31.However,

as the rate of aircraft ascent diminishes near the end of the uphillrun, the airstream acting on the rudder becomes insufi'icient tocounterbalance the rotational force due to weight 31, thereby allowingthe aircraft to rotate l80 whereby the toy rotates causing ribs 27 and29 to rotate whereby rib 27 is then positioned against stop 23 as shownin FIGS. 9 and 10. The aircraft is now ready for descent as shown inFIGS. 2 and 4.

Referring now to FIG. ll, there is shown a toy as in FIG. 1 except thatthe aircraft has been replaced by a doll 35. The interior of the dollwill have the same turning structure as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10. Theruddertype element is not necessary since turning can take place withoutit, if desired.

Referring now to FIG. 12, there is shown a toy as in FIG. 3 except thatthe aircraft has been replaced by a parachutist 37. There is also showna target 39 whereby the parachutist 37 can be made to land in the targetby judicious operation of the toy as described above with respect toH65. 2 to 4.

Though the invention has been described with respect to specificpreferred embodiments thereof. amny variations and modifications willimmediately become apparent to those skilled in the art. lt is thereforethe intention that the appended claims be interpreted as broadly aspossible in view of the prior art to include all such variations andmodifications.

What is claimed is:

l. A flying toy movable along a pair of string portions by separationand convergence of said strings which comprises, in combination:

a. a toy member;

b. a hollow ring member secured to the toy through which both stringportions extend, and

c. turning means secured within said toy member and responsive to apredetermined velocity of ascent of said toy member for rotating saidtoy member about an axis normal to the direction of travel of the toymember.

2. A flying toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein the toy member includesmeans responsive to the flow of air therealong to provide an impedimentto rotational forces on said toy member.

3. A flying toy as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means responsive tothe flow of air is a rudder.

4. A flying toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein said turning meansincludes a weight in the forward portion of said toy member. shaft meansrearward of said weight and extending externally of said toy memberabout which it rotates. said ring member being secured to said shaftmeans externally of said toy member for receiving said string portions.

5. A flying toy as set forth in claim 4 wherein said shaft meansincludes a projection thereon within said toy member and stop meanswithin said toy member engageable by the projection for limitingrotation of said flange member.

6. A flying toy as set forth in claim 4 wherein said string portions areformed from a monofilament.

7. A flying toy movable along a pair of string portions by separationand convergence of said strings which comprises. in combination:

a. a toy member,

b. a sleeve member mounted on said toy member,

and

CY a pair of plastic monofilament string portions passing through saidsleeve member, said string portions each being anchored at one endthereof and free at the other end thereof.

8. A flying toy as set forth in claim 7 wherein said string portions areeach a portion ofa single continuous monofilament string.

9. A flying toy as set forth in claim 7 wherein said string portions areeach a portion of separate monofilament strings, said strings beingsecured at one end of each to a common anchoring point.

10. A flying toy movable along a pair of strings supported at one end ata height above the other end of the pair during play, comprising:

a toy member,

means supporting the toy member for rotation about an axis normal to thedirection of movement of the toy member,

a tubular member secured to the supporting means through which bothstrings extend.

a mass on the toy member spaced from the axis in one direction,

a rudder on the toy member spaced from the axis in an opposite directionfor maintaining the toy member with the mass forward during ascent ofthe toy member beyond a predetermined speed when the strings of the pairare separated at its said other end,

said mass turning said toy member by gravity about the axis of thssupporting means upon a decrease from said predetermined speed.

11. A flying toy according to claim 10 including a pair of cooperatingstop members on the means sup porting the toy member and the toy memberfor limiting its rotation to I".

12. A flying to according to claim ll wherein the strings aremonofilament.

1. A flying toy movable along a pair of string portions by separationand convergence of said strings which comprises, in combination: a. atoy member; b. a hollow ring member secured to the toy through whichboth string portions extend, and c. turning means secured within saidtoy member and responsive to a predetermined velocity of ascent of saidtoy member for rotating said toy member about an axis normal to thedirection of travel of the toy member.
 2. A flying toy as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the toy member includes means responsive to the flow ofair therealong to provide an impediment to rotational forces on said toymember.
 3. A flying toy as set forth in claim 2 wherein said meansresponsive to the flow of air is a rudder.
 4. A flying toy as set forthin claim 1 wherein said turning means includes a weight in the forwardportion of said toy member, shaft means rearward of said weight andextending externally of said toy member about which it rotates, saidring member being secured to said shaft means externally of said toymember for receiving said string portions.
 5. A flying toy as set forthin claim 4 wherein said shaft means includes a projection thereon withinsaid toy member and stop means within said toy member engageable by theprojection for limiting rotation of said flange member.
 6. A flying toyas set forth in claim 4 wherein said string portions are formed from amonofilament.
 7. A flying toy movable along a pair of string portions byseparation and convergence of said strings which comprises, incombination: a. a toy member, b. a sleeve member mounted on said toymember, and c. a pair of plastic monofilament string portions passingthrough said sleeve member, said string portions each being anchored atone end thereof and free at the other end thereof.
 8. A flying toy asset forth in claim 7 wherein said string portions are each a portion ofa single continuous monofilament string.
 9. A flying toy as set forth inclaim 7 wherein said string portions are each a portion of separatemonofilament strings, said strings being secured at one end of each to acommon anchoring point.
 10. A flying toy movable along a pair of stringssupported at one end at a height above the other end of the pair duringplay, comprising: a toy member, means supporting the toy member forrotation about an axis normal to the direction of movement of the toymember, a tubular member secured to the supporting means through whichboth strings extend, a mass on the toy member spaced from the axis inone direction, a rudder on the toy member spaced from the axis in anopposite direction for maintaining the toy member with the mass forwardduring ascent of the toy member beyond a predetermined speed when thestrings of the pair are separated at its said other end, said massturning said toy member by gravity about the axis of ths supportingmeans upon a decrease from said predetermined speed.
 11. A flying toyaccording to claim 10 including a pair of cooperating stop members onthe means supporting the toy member and the toy member for limiting itsrotation to 180*.
 12. A flying to according to claim 11 wherein thestrings are monofilament.